Defense minister of Lithuania convening with Baltic allies' ministers in Estonia
Lithuanian Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene will join her Baltic counterparts in Estonia for a two-day meeting of the Baltic Defense Ministers' Committee, as announced by the Lithuanian Defense Ministry. The discussions on Thursday and Friday are expected to revolve around several key topics, including regional projects, underwater maritime infrastructure security, European defense capabilities, transatlantic ties, and backing for Ukraine, as well as the agenda for the upcoming NATO summit.
A crucial point of discussion is anticipated to be the status of joint regional projects, such as the Baltic Defense College, where Baltic countries have been forging officer training programs to bolster regional defense competence, and the Baltic Defense Line, an initiative that involves a series of counter-mobility measures to reinforce the security of NATO's eastern border against potential threats from Russia and Belarus.
The cornerstone of discussions on European defense is likely to focus on increasing defense spending, with the Baltic states advocating for all NATO members to commit to allocating at least 3.5 percent of their GDP to defense. The organization's top priority at a forthcoming NATO summit in The Hague is expected to revolve around bolstering defense spending, with the Baltic states leading by example in a bid to encourage other European NATO allies to augment their contributions.
Lithuania has recently decided to aim for additional defense funding of between 12 to 13 billion euros by 2030, leading to an increase in defense spending to between 5 and 6 percent of GDP. Furthermore, the ministers will delve into the agenda for the NATO summit, exploring transatlantic bonds, reassuring unity among the Allies, and examining support for countries like Ukraine and strengthening European defense industry investments, potentially relying on EU-funded mechanisms.
The Baltic Defense Ministers' Committee, including Lithuania's Defense Minister Dovile Sakaliene, will discuss the advancement of regional projects, like the Baltic Defense College and the Baltic Defense Line, as means to bolster defense capabilities during the meeting in Estonia. In terms of European defense policy and legislation, the focus will likely be on increasing defense spending, with Lithuania advocating for NATO members to allocate at least 3.5 percent of their GDP to defense, and the exploration of strengthening European defense industry investments, possibly utilizing EU-funded mechanisms.
